


And someone to Love

by Supersonicsleepingkitten



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adulthood, Budding Love, F/M, Good Draco Malfoy, My First Fanfic, My First Work in This Fandom, POV Hermione Granger, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-War, Sarcasm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-14 06:10:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9165511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supersonicsleepingkitten/pseuds/Supersonicsleepingkitten
Summary: Hermione Granger just found out Ron had been cheating on her for months on end with Lavender Brown. She's not really heart broken as much as she's just over it and ready to move on with her life, thus brings a chance meeting between Hermione and Draco Malfoy. Her new neighbor; what will this mean for the future?





	1. Time to move on

Hermione sat in a small café in East London, a small hot chocolate in her hands as she absentmindedly gazed out the window. She saw the bright red hair first and frowned slightly. She had told Ron not to come bother her anymore, what they had had back at Hogwarts was long gone now, especially now that she’d learned he had been cheating on her with Lavender Brown for the entirety of the six months they had tried to be a couple. As it was they had almost nothing in common save for the love they both had for Harry, their dearest friend. Hermione took a small sip of her hot chocolate as she watched Ron notice her and make his way into the small coffee shop, a look of sheer determination on his face.

“Hermione.” he said loudly, trying yet failing to sound full of authority, “ why aren’t you answering any of my letters?” 

Hermione sighed before setting her drink down and looking up at the boy she once thought she might come to love, “because,” she began, “I have nothing to say to you.” 

Ron’s jaw dropped open, then slammed shut again, glaring at her he growled, “Just get over it, she was nothing to me.”

“Just as I am to you from now on.” Hermione responded calmly and stood gracefully. As she went to walk past Ron he reached out grabbing her slender arm hard as though he could stop her from seeing him as he was, “ Let. Me. Go.” she said with quiet stern authority. Ron let his hand drop back down to his side upon realizing the entire cafe had their eyes glued to them. 

Hermione walked out, turned into an alleyway and apparated to her small apartment. she sat for a moment regaining her calm, and wrote a small letter to Harry detailing her breakup and asking he not tell Ron where she was now moving to in order to get further from her ex.


	2. Moving on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione Granger just found out Ron had been cheating on her for months on end with Lavender Brown. She's not really heart broken as much as she's just over it and ready to move on with her life, thus brings a chance meeting between Hermione and Draco Malfoy. Her new neighbor; what will this mean for the future?

Harry looked up as the owl popped through the bedroom window, he looked over to Ginny's sleeping form and slipped to the window trying not to disturb his new bride. He unrolled the parchment and immediately recognised his best friends writing.  
   Harry,  
     I did not want to bother you on your honeymoon, but I must ask you not to tell Ronald I am moving or where to after you find out. I know he is not only your best freind, but your brother in law as well, but please, do this for me. I found out just late last night after the wedding that Ronald has been seeing Lavender behind my back for the entirety of our relationship. I need to move on with my life, and as I am starting my job at the ministry in just a few days time I will be moving closer to work. Once I am settled I will owl you and Ginny an invitation for dinner or something equally interesting. All my love to you both.  
                 Hermione Granger

Harry sat in shock still reading the parchment over as Ginny began to wake up, she glanced over seeing a look of pure astonishment on her love's face and walked over to him.

"Harry? Is everything alright?" she asked as she touched his shoulder gently.

"Yes.. " he said sounding unsure, "Its just- well.. here read Hermione's letter to us. It explains my.. Loss of words."

Ginny read the parchment her mouth dropping open, "That ignorant twit!" she hissed, " he may be my brother but how could he hurt a woman in such a way, especially Hermione! If he wanted to be with Lavender, Hermione or anyone else he should have just been with one of them! Don't play with women's emotions!" Ginny continued her ranting as she flurries about the room getting dressed.

Harry watched her, almost frightened by her intensity, he knew Ginny was going to hurt Ron. Although he couldn't be sure if it was to be physically or emotionally, and frankly he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

Ginny apparated without so much as a warning to Harry, she stood right inside the front door of the burrow parchment in hand and handed it to her mother without so much as a word.

"Ronald Weasely!" Molly yelled, the red head came from the kitchen his mouth stuffed with food, " Just what were you thinking?! I didn't raise you to treat women this way!!" Ron's face paled, he knew his mother and sister had both learned of his infidelity with women, and how he'd cheated on Hermione.


	3. New start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione Granger just found out Ron had been cheating on her for months on end with Lavender Brown. She's not really heart broken as much as she's just over it and ready to move on with her life, thus brings a chance meeting between Hermione and Draco Malfoy. Her new neighbor; what will this mean for the future?

Back at Hermione's apartment the young witch gathered her items. As organized as she already was, her packing took her a mere day, especially as she could use her magic to shrink down all of her belongings to that of doll house furniture. Everything fit into four boxes with her extender and shrinking spells making everything small enough to fit into a shoulder bag. She made her way to the door, Crookshanks in his carrier in one arm and her purse with all her belongings in the other. She sighed, so many memories were already within these walls from the short time she'd lived there.  
  
  
After looking around one last time she closed the door, the only item remaining in the apartment was a small ring Ronald have given her as a promise that he was hers always until she chose to leave or marry him. Yet he chose to discard her feelings so he could have another like it was nothing. Like she was nothing. So with her head held high that's precisely what she chose to become to him.  
  
  
She made her way downstairs lost in thought as she got into her waiting taxi. What no niggle would realize was that this taxi was enchanted to apparate to her destination upon command.  
  
  
They drove to a small side alley a few blocks away where no one would take notice of them even at this time of the afternoon, and suddenly they were half a block away from the ministry, and not a soul had taken notice of the taxi that had suddenly appeared in the driveway of the small home she was now living in. She handed her driver a few pounds for his trouble today and made her way up the stairs of her new house. She smiled and turned once to look around the neighborhood and spotted a tall dashing blond man going into the home next door, she gasped when she realized it was Draco Malfoy she was looking at, that he very well may be her new neighbor.  
  
  
Draco looked up from the door as though feeling the brunettes eyes on him, he smirked and raised an eyebrow. She was a gorgeous petite thing he thought to himself as he took in every curve, when his eyes landed on her face his jaw dropped along with his keys.

 

"Granger?" he said almost inaudibly before snapping himself out of it. "Granger, you must be my new neighbor." 

"Well, yes." Hermione said in response trying to keep her voice even while her heart jackhammered in her chest, "perhaps you'd like to join me for a cup of tea instead of gawking at me from your porch."

Draco's smirk only grew, "Well, if you insist." his pale grey eyes sparkling with mischief. Hermione knew in that very instant she was in major trouble when it came to Draco Malfoy.


	4. Time for tea

Draco and Hermione sat across from each other at the small island in her kitchen, she'd only unpacked the kettle, two teacups, and some tea leaves. The two sat in silence for what seemed like hours regarding each other with wary eyes, and Draco cleared his throat after a moment.

"So, Granger....er....Hermione, what made you choose to move? And without Weasely, if you don't mind my asking. I had thought the two of you would be married by now." Draco tried keeping his voice light, but he was truly curious about the witch in front of him.

Hermione sighed raking a hand through her hair and looking down at her cup, "Honestly? I start work in a few days and this is closer to work than my apartment had been, and Ronald...well, he's gone."

"Oh?" Draco said raising an eyebrow.

"He... I mean he's alive. Merlin, I just realized how that sounded. It's just well..." Hermione sighed again, deciding it didn't matter if Draco knew the truth, he'd probably find out some other way as it was, "Ron was cheating on me with a girl who was supposed to be his ex from Hogwarts."

Draco regarded her for a moment before quietly saying, "Hermione." she looked up into those pale grey eyes and almost stopped breathing from their intensity focused on her." If he didn't see what a brilliant witch you are, not to mention absolutely beautiful, than he's even more daft than I thought in school." Draco looked down at the last of his sentance, since when had he ever been shy, she wondered.

"T-thank you, Draco." Hermione quietly replied, her dark brown eyes as wide as saucers.

Draco could feel the blush in his cheeks but he needed to finish his thoughts, even if Hermione couldn't forgive him she deserved a proper apology. "And...well, I know I was terrible to you in school, I never should have called you...Hermione you're not a mudblood, you're brilliant. I was a git, and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I just want you to know how truly sorry I am."

Hermione was smiling at him when he looked back up at her, "There's nothing to forgive." she started, " we were kids, you know now what you said was wrong, but I forgave you years ago. I just wanted you to see that you could have been so much more than you were back then. When we were prefects and we talked, one on one, I saw you for what you could have truly been. Brilliant, kind, and just, Draco you were amazing in those moments, it was only around your housemates you acted like a prat."

Draco looked at Hermione his jaw slack, and without warning stood walking to her and pulled her into an embrace, after a moment he let go and looked down at her.

Hermione was blushing furiously, but felt desire bubbling in her stomach at his touch. She leaned up without thinking and kissed Draco Malfoy pulling him closely to her.

When the kiss ended they looked at each other breathing heavily, Hermione smiled first and then Draco smirked just as he used to, "Hermione Granger, do you fancy me?" he said raising an eyebrow.

"Oh shut it, you prat." she giggled, " you know I can't stand you."

"Well that's a pity, I was hoping I could take you to dinner, a proper date." Draco smiled down at her playfully.

Hermione felt her blush deepen even further, "Well, if you insist." she said through her smile.


	5. Lunch date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lunch leads to an invitation, but how will Hermione respond?

The next morning was a cool, crisp spring day. Hermione smiled to herself as she awoke the sunlight shimmering through the curtains of her bedroom, she thought back to the previous afternoon and her interaction with Draco. He was different, mature, handsome, and insatiably attractive. The years had done him justice. 

Hermione got out of bed and made her way to her wardrobe, she pulled on her jeans and a deep green jumper, her wild hair going in all directions. She looked in the mirror and sighed, her hair was more manageable than when she was younger but it still had a mind of its own. She ran a brush through her locks before taking her wand and doing the simple charm for frizz and smoothness, then gathered her courage looking at a collection of makeup. She had never been one to apply such things, she had always just been natural, but with her new start she wanted a new look. 

"Ok." she breathed to herself, "here goes nothing."

She readied herself and somehow flawlessly managed cat-eye eyeliner, simple mascara and a slight flush pink for her lips. Her breath caught looking at her reflection, it reminded her of her mother. How beautiful she had always been. 

Hermione had a mission today, she was going shopping for new clothing, muggle shops since with her charms she could alter any piece of clothing for the perfect fit. She looked around her bedroom one last time, grabbed her purse she had unpacked easily the day before and made her way into town. 

A few hours later she came out of the last shop, turned a corner so no one could see her and stealthily placed a shrinking charm on the twentieth bag of clothes. She smiled seeing Draco from her spot in the shadows and came from the hiding spot walking up to him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as he caught her gaze.

"I was hoping that was you if seen from my porch, I was thinking of taking you to lunch if your not busy." Draco had a slight blush to his cheeks, Hermione smiled she couldn't believe her luck today.

"Lunch?" she mused feigning deep thought, "well I suppose I could spare some time for you." 

Draco genuinely smiled, he liked this new confident Hermione Granger. If he'd known her to be all she was now he'd have snatched her up himself instead of letting Ron have the chance to even consider it. 

He reached his hand out for hers, and she took it stepping closer to him, "Anywhere you'd like to go?" he said looking down at the witch.

Hermione smiled, she tilted her head at the ideas forming in her own mind and then without so much as a simple hesitation began walking leading him to a small cafe she frequented when in this area.

They sat at the table in silence for the first few moments, and finally Draco spoke.

"Hermione.." He shifted in his seat, "there's...well there's a charity I've been invited to attend this weekend. Almost like a ball, and I was wondering...well, would you accompany me?"


	6. And someone to love

“A ball?….” Hermione found herself nervous now, she had never been one to be involved in fancy gatherings, let alone ever attend a ball. What if she embarrassed him, or worse herself? “Well, I…I mean to say….uhm…”  
Draco watched Hermione for a moment, “it’s not as though the ball is the end all be all of your social existence. Trust me, just last year Viktor Krum and his lot attended one of the balls we hold for charity, Krum got rip roaringly drunk and tried fighting every male who looked at his date for even a half of a second. Who knew he would be so crazed over Lavender Brown.”

Hermione smiled for a moment as Draco had rushed put his poor excuse as to why she shouldn’t be nervous. It was sweet of him to try making her calm about it, but she was still terrified.

She thought for a moment more and then nodding to herself, “you know, I think I will accompany you. If for no other reason than to fave my fear, plus I get to have you by side for the night and dress up like a princess? Yes, please.”

Draco chuckled slightly, he found Hermione to be surprising and charming, and he knew without a doubt he was going to fall helplessly and hopelessly in love with Miss Granger, no matter if he fought it or not and he had no plans of fighting it.


End file.
